Insulin mixing apparatus



Dec. 13, 1966 H. ROSENBLATT 3 7 INSULIN MIXING APPARATUS Filed June 17, 1964 IN VENTOR. HE/IWY pow/v51 A T T BY g ATJUIPA/[YI United States Patent 3,291,454 INSULIN MIXING APPARATUS Henry Rosenblatt, Queens, N.Y. Triton Electronics, Inc, 6205 13th Ave., Woodside, N.Y.) Filed June 17, 1964, Ser. No. 375,865 2 Claims. (Cl. 25989) This invention relates to apparatus for mixing insulin in a clinical container.

It is a well known medical fact that people suffering from diabetes lack sufiicient insulin in their body. The method for treating this disease usually comprises supplying insulin to the patient to overcome the deficiency.

Since the patient usually needs a daily dosage of insulin to meet his body demands, insulin is sold as a prescription drug in a clinical container. The insulin is dissolved or dispersed within a suitable carrying agent so that it is liquid in form and hence deadily injectable by means of a hypodermic needle. If the clinical container is allowed to stand for any period of time, the insulin will tend to separate from the carrying agent and form a distinct layer at the bottom of the container. It is therefore necessary to mix the contents of the container before usage.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide insulin mixing apparatus.

Another object of this invention is to provide insulin mixing apparatus capable of either home or clinical use.

A further object of this invention is to provide insulin mixing apparatus including means for rotating an insulin container at a low speed so as to prevent decomposition of the insulin.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide insulin mixing apparatus for rotating an insulin container in an end over end manner thereby insuring complete mixing of the contents of the container.

Other objects will appear from the disclosure which follows hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the insulin mixing apparatus comprising the subject matter of the instant invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side view in elevation of the mixing apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an end view in elevation of the insulin mixing apparatus as seen from the right hand end of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of a portion of the insulin mixing apparatus as seen substantially from the plane indicated by the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

The mixing apparatus comprising the subject matter of the instant invention is generally designated by the numeral 10.

The mixing apparatus includes a base 12 and a centrally located upright support wall 14. The base 12 and upright support wall 14 are formed from clear plastic material such as Lucite.

An electric motor and speed reduction unit indicated at 16 is mounted by fasteners such as 17 in an upright position on one side of the upright support wall 14. The motor and speed reduction unit 16 is of the type disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,334,040, issued November 9, 1943, to E. L. Schellens. As disclosed in that patent, the speed reduction unit includes a gear train designed to give a considerable speed reduction.

The output shaft 18 of the motor and speed reduction unit extends through the upright support wall 14. A resilient clip 20 is removably secured to the output shaft 18 of the motor and speed reduction unit 16 by means of a fastener such as 21.

An insulin container such as a bottle 22 is adapted to be held in tight frictional engagement between the spaced resilient arms of the clip 20. The bottle 22 is adapted to be rotated by the shaft 18 in a vertical plane substantially parallel to the upright support wall 14. The end over end rotation of the bottle 22 insures that the contents of the bottle are completely mixed.

A switch unit 24 is mounted on the upright support wall 14. The electrical conductors 26 connect the switch 24 to a conventional electric plug 39. The conductors 26 are held upon the base 12 by means of a clip 28. The switch 24 is also electrically connected by conductors 32 to the motor within the motor and speed reduction unit 16. The circuit is arranged so that current will flow from a source of electrical energy through the plug 30, through the switch 24 and to the motor. The motor operates on conventional A.C. current thereby adapting the unit for home use.

It is extremely important that the insulin within the bottle 22 be gently agitated. If the bottle 22 were rotated at a high speed, the insulin has been found to have a tendency to decompose. Also, if the bottle is violently shaken, bubbles will result which may interfere with the accurate measurement of the dosage to be dispensed. Therefore, the speed reduction gear train in the motor and speed reduction unit 16 must effect a considerable speed reduction. It has been determined that the output shaft 18 should preferably rotate in the range of 5 rpm. to 20 rpm.

The insulin can be mixed by the apparatus from two minutes to many hours. The insulin can be withdrawn at the moment the syringe is prepared, assuring a proper dose.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. Mixing apparatus comprising a horizontal base, an upright support upon said base, means supported on one side of said upright support for frictionally holding a medicine bottle whose contents are to be agitated, said means including a clip having a pair of resilient arms which are biased towards each other, each of said arms adapted to contact said bottle over a substantial portion of the surface of said bottle, electric motor means supported by the other side of said upright support for rotation of said friction holding means in a plane parallel to said upright support thereby causing the medicine bottle to be rotated end over end, said motor means including a shaft connected to said friction holding means, speed reduction means coupled to said shaft for rotating it at a speed between 5 r.p.m. and 20 rpm, switch means mounted on said upright support for actuating said motor means, wherein said base and said upright support are formed from a resinous material.

2. Mixing apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said base and upright support are formed from a transparent resinous material.

(References on following page) 3 4 References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENTS 444,254 8/ 1912 France. 1 429 52 9 1922 Small 259 81 931,263 7/1963 Great Britain- 1,997,935 4/1935 Johnson 259 57 n I 2203430 6/1940 Goldberg et a1 5 WALTER A. SL/HEEL, Plzmaly Examlner.

3,172,644 3/1965 Smith 259-89 R. W. JENKINS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. MIXING APPARATUS COMPRISING A HORIZONTAL BASE, AN UPRIGHT SUPPORT UPON SAID BASE, MEANS SUPPORTED ON ONE SIDE OF SAID UPRIGHT SUPPORT FOR FRICTIONALLY HOLDING A MEDICINE BOTTLE WHOSE CONTENTS ARE TO BE AGITATED, SAID MEANS INCLUDING A CLIP HAVING A PAIR OF RESILIENT ARMS WHICH ARE BIASED TOWARDS EACH OTHER, EACH OF SAID ARMS ADAPTED TO CONTACT SAID BOTTLE OVER A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE SURFACE OF SAID BOTTLE, ELECTRIC MOTOR MEANS SUPPORTED BY THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID UPRIGHT SUPPORT FOR ROTATION OF SAID FRICTION HOLDING MEANS IN A PLANE PARALLEL TO SAID UPRIGHT SUPPORT THEREBY CAUSING THE MEDICINE BOTTLE TO BE ROTATED END OVER END, SAID MOTOR MEANS INCLUDING A SHAFT CONNECTED TO SAID FRICTION HOLDING MEANS, SPEED REDUCTION MEANS COUPLED TO SAID SHAFT FOR ROTATING IT AT A SPEED BETWEEN 5 R.P.M. AND 20 R.P.M., SWITCH MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID UPRIGHT SUPPORTED FOR ACTUATING SAID MOTOR MEANS, WHEREIN SAID BASE AND SAID UPRIGHT SUPPORT ARE FORMED FROM A RESINOUS MATERIAL. 